Making My Own Destiny
by Twilight Tides
Summary: Danny, Chris, Cathy and Sam have been friends for years, though Danny and Sam's relationship is a little more contentious. They talk, but not without disagreements. Ironically so, these contentious teens are in love... with each other. Cathy and Chris see this and wish to act on it. So, what happens when they want to play Cupid? R&R!
1. A Week Old Runaway

A nineteen-year-old Daniel Jackson sat on the front porch, absentmindedly looking down the road. He had been doing this for a week now and his patience was growing thin. A week ago, it had been said that his cousin had run away from home and was going to stay with him and his family. His brown hair blew in the wind and he instinctively threaded his fingers through it. He wore a black shirt with multi-colored speakers beneath a blue sleeveless hoodie and ash grey skinny jeans. Danny had changed from a naïve and adorable twelve-year-old to a sophisticated and well-built jock. He still hung out with Sam, Cathy and Chris and he smiled inwardly at the mention of his friends. Cathy, the young Rhapsodian alien that he had befriended four summers ago, hadn't changed a lot. Her blonde hair had grown to reach 3 inches past her shoulders. She still wore pink, but she chose to more conservative with it. She had grown up to be quite the looker, seeing as how she had gotten curvier while maintaining her slim physique. Chris was still a geek, but had grown up to be muscular and more self-confident; he still wore blue, but just decided to sport it in plaid and checkered clothing accessories. Then there was Sam; the smart, type-A-overachiever of the group. Sam was no longer the twelve-year-old girl that he had gotten so accustomed to back in middle school. She had grown up and that was more than obvious in many ways. Danny felt his cheeks warm as he remembered when she came back from her Tae Kwon Do Training Camp three summers ago.

_Flashback_

_Danny, Chris and Cathy were seated on Cathy's front porch waiting for Sam to come back. Danny had started in on his lemonade when a car pulled up to the curb. A girl with sienna brown skin, dark brown hair and golden brown eyes stepped out. She wore a red form-fitting t-shirt and a crimson plead skirt that reached mid-thigh exposed her long shapely legs. Her beige gladiators were decorated with gold studs. She smiled as she turned to retrieve her duffle bag before she closed the door. Danny felt his breath hitch in his throat as he took her in. __**That can't be Sam; she's… hot.**__ Chris and Cathy got up to greet their friend, while Danny was trying to remember how to breathe. It wasn't until she was right in front of him did he register that he had been gaping at her._

_"Hey Danny." Blinking, Danny looked up to see her smiling and his heart fluttered around in his chest. He picked up his glass up from beside him and would've taken a sip if it hadn't been taken from his hands. He watched in a dazed stupor as Sam brought the glass to her lips, the golden liquid disappearing down her throat. A sigh of satisfaction was heard before she placed the cup back in his hand. Leaning forward until her breath teased the outer shell of his ear, she whispered._

_"Thank-you." She gently pressed her lips to his temple before running up the stairs to tell Cathy all about what happened while she was gone._

_End flashback_

Without thinking, Danny placed a hand to his left temple. He traced the area where she had kissed him all those summers ago. Coming back to reality, he checked the horizon. _It's nearly sundown, where could she be?_ He was about to head in to announce to his parents that she was a no-show when he saw someone standing on the sidewalk across the street. If it wasn't for Danny's inquisitive nature, he would've been inside. The person looked as if they were contemplating whether or not to cross the street. He couldn't see their eyes or most of their face because of the Aviator sunglasses and the black hooded cloak. Before he could blink, the hooded figure was standing a few feet in front of him. The sudden movement made him instinctively fall into a fighting stance.

The hooded figure gasped. "Danny?" Blinking, Danny peered down at the person in front of him. His incredulous look was enough to make the person remove her hood. Her skin was a light brown; her hair was a rich mocha brown streaked with auburn streaks and the setting sun created an amber-gold halo around her. Removing her glasses, his eyes widened to see forest green eyes staring back at him. His attention was pulled to the silver pendant with the letter K engraved into it.

He shifted from his fighting stance and pulled her into a warm embrace, which she happily returned. "It's been a while, Dakota."


	2. Secrets Revealed

The next morning, Danny woke up to the smell of blueberry pancakes and an empty bed. Stretching upward, he padded over to the door and down the hall. As he approached the stairs, the sound of laughter reached him and he hastened his footsteps. The laughter grew louder as he rounded the corner. The first thing he saw was blonde and pink as he walked into the kitchen."Wow, you're really cool. I can't believe that you're actually related to Danny; though I see the resemblance."

She smiled inwardly at her old friend as she flipped another pancake onto a nearby plate. "Thanks, Cath. So, Danny told me that you moved here four summers ago."

Cathy nodded as she cut into her pancake. _There's something about her that seems so familiar to me… she reminds me so much of my old friend, Melody._

Dakota smirked inwardly at the thought as she turned back to a pan of scrambled eggs when she caught sight of Danny. _I guess what they say is true: you can take the dog out of the wild, but you can't take the wild of the dog._ She smiled as she took up a plate of pancakes and bacon, dumping the eggs into a portion of the plate. "Bonjourna, Danny. Did you sleep well?" he nodded sleepily and she placed down the plate in front of him before picking up a plate of pancakes. Placing it down beside Cathy, she walked around the island and sat on a stool. As soon as Cathy finished, she picked up her plate and stretched her arms across the breakfast bar to place them into the sink. Danny seemed somewhat surprised while Dakota looked indifferent to it as she continued to eat as if nothing happened. A few moments passed before Danny went back to eating. "So, what's the MBC like over here?" the question was so casually put, that it took Danny by surprise.

Cathy didn't look at all surprised by the random outburst, so she was able to answer it. "Well that depends; what's it like where you are?" Danny seemed to be outraged that Cathy was even ensuing the topic as if it was a normal thing to talk about.

Dakota looked deep in thought before she answered. "Well, it's very quiet at times, seeing as how I'm from the Sub-Division. The only time there's ever a real commotion is when something big hits us, like the Spark Rhapti we caught two weeks ago."

Danny almost choked on his food. _Since when was Dakota part of the Sub-Division?!_ He then thought back to the time when the Sticky Aliens had invaded the Singletown suburbs and Dakota had to cancel their time at the arcade to "help her mom with dinner". A scowl appeared on his face that didn't go unnoticed by his cousin.

She narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing as she got up to wash the dishes. "Want me to help you, Lyn?" Cathy asked expectantly as she walked over to the brunette.

Glancing over her shoulder, she nodded and stepped aside. "You know what," Dakota began as she handed the blonde another dish to rinse, "you must be the nicest Rhapsodian I've spoken to in a long while." In response, she received a starry smile from the alien.

They washed in silence for a while until Dakota cleared her throat, successfully gaining the blonde's attention. "I'm a Synosynthean; actually to be more specific, I'm a Sonar-Sunwing." Cathy's eyes lit up as she looked long and hard at the brunette. After putting away the last of the dishes, Dakota took Cathy by the wrist and led her upstairs. Upon closing the door behind them, she walked to the center of the room and sat down. The shades seemed to raise all on their own to allow the sun to come pouring through. Dakota raised her left arm and a path of sunlight illuminated her arm. Pulling her arm to herself, she smiled as she felt the sun wrap around her body. The light soon engulfed her entire form in a blinding white ball of energy and Cathy instinctively raised her arm to shield her eyes. Once she felt it was safe, she saw Dakota dressed in white and she appeared to be floating.

Her hair was a charcoal black with a fiery gold streak in the front. Her eyes were the most beautiful gold Cathy had ever seen. Taking a step forward, she shifted and the blonde could've sworn that she heard what sounded like wings. Taking another step, she saw her shift again to reveal white amber-and-silver tipped wings. Her silk toga was black with flames on the bottom that seemed to flicker animatedly as she remained suspended in the air. A look of awe and disbelief was etched into the blonde's face as she landed soundlessly in front of her. It didn't take long for the Rhapsodian to register who was standing before her and she pulled the Synosynthean into a tearful embrace.


	3. A Loving Confession

There were tears shed as Danny's parents embraced the young teen. Once she was settled into a room, Danny came by. A smile greeted him as he stepped through the door. She sure had grown up since her had seen her last; her hair was no longer its sunshine gold. Her slender physique showed signs of muscles. Her dark brown hair was pulled into a ponytail that brushed her mid-back. She was outfitted in a white form-fitting tank top, a pair of rolled up grey sweat pants and white ankle socks.

Her eyes were wandering around the room as she went about unpacking her suitcases that had arrived a week before. "Why don't you sit, Danny?" she asked without looking up from her folding. He shuffled over to sit on her bed. As she continued to pack away her belongings, his eyes meandered around the room. The room was painted beige and a creamy rose. Atop a desk situated against the wall was a basket filled with personal hygiene products, an iHome and a Gateway laptop. The bed was decorated with pillows that were different shades of orange and gold. The bedspread depicted a picture of an amber-colored fox and gold fox; they stood across from each other with paws raised. According to his mother, it was a Native American tribal crest. Seeing as Dakota was part Native, it only made sense. It was present in the way she looked; from her tanned skin and her almond shaped eyes to even the way she did her chocolate mane. The only trait that betrayed her mix were her emerald green eyes. His eyes caught sight of her folding a yellow tank top and his mind immediately drifted to Sam. He blushed as he tried to think of something else; yet the more he tried, the more she seemed to stick out in his thoughts. He must have looked like something was wrong with him because he looked up to see his cousin regarding him with an odd mix of worry and amusement. This look only earned an even darker blush to which she only laughed lightly. With a snap of her fingers, all her clothes and bags were packed and put away.

A smile crept across her face as he visibly flinched under her gaze. "So, what's new?" she inquired casually as she reclined easily onto the bed.

Danny followed her lead before he spoke up. "I was just thinking about a friend." He answered honestly. A raised brow from the brunette silently egged him on. He sighed as he redirected his gaze to the ceiling.

She rolled her eyes at this gesture and decided to use another venue to quell her curiosity. "Speaking of which, how are your friends?"

Danny seemed to relax at the change of conversation and turned to look at her. "Well, they're good: Chris hasn't changed too much since you've seen him. I mean, outside of the fact that he's still a geek; he's changed his clothing choice. He still likes blue, but now he wears a lot of plaid and checkered clothing. I also have a new friend who moved here four summers ago, her name is Cathy and I'm sure you'll like her. She's blonde and bubbly; it's hard to get her upset and know that you'd never want to." He paused to run his hand through his hair. "She also likes pink, but she wears it more as an accessory color." He raised his head up as he placed his hands behind it. Dakota nodded her head thoughtfully, sadness shone bright in her eyes. She had heard nothing from Cathy since the invasion on Rhapsodia that had resulted her leaving with her grandfather. She still remembered the invasion like it was yesterday.

_Flashback_

_An eleven-year-old Dakota floated down to rest on the blue soil of Rhapsodia. Her long hair was a charcoal black with a fiery gold streak in the front. Her beautiful gold eyes darted around the seemingly quiet residential area. Taking a step forward, her ears perked up at the sound of feet shuffling. Taking another step, she shifted to reveal white amber-and-silver tipped wings. Her silk toga was black with flames on the bottom that seemed to flicker animatedly as she rose into the air. Raising her arm, a staff of gold appeared with a flash of light. She heard a gasp and floated over to where the sound had come from. Imagine her surprise when she saw a girl around her age with sunshine gold hair and ocean blue eyes. She wore a pink tee, blue capris and pink shoes. Noticing that her eyes were wide with fear, she placed her staff away and landed soundlessly in front of her._

_The girl stood up and looked at her curiously before stretching her hand out in greeting. "My name is Catherine Smith, but my grandfather calls me Cathy. What's your name?"_

_Dakota smiled as she took Cathy's hand in hers. "My name is Dakota Degni-Jackson, but my friends call me Melody." Cathy smiled in return. She had a feeling that she was going to like 'Melody'. Two months had passed since then and the two became fast friends. One day, they were in the middle of a talk when the invasion of the inter-Galactic Spognotz started. Dakota looked up at the incoming spaceships and she fell into a defensive stance. Her staff reappeared into her hand and she turned to look at Cathy who had also fallen into a fighting stance. One look was all it took before they ran into the onslaught. They were halfway through the fight when Dakota overheard a couple of aliens' mention that they were looking for the Rhapsodians in charge of the MBC. She quickly ran off to warn her new friend, as she had told each other of their ties to the MBC._

_Upon seeing the blonde, she urged her and her grandfather to leave. "No!" she cried, her eyes brimming with tears. "I'm not leaving without you!"_

_The Synosynthean roundhouse kicked another Spognotz and turned to face the Rhapsodian with tears of her own. "You need to go; the reason why they've invaded was to find who was in charge of the MBC." She ducked easily under two incoming aliens before she continued. "They don't know who you are in your human form so you can leave without getting caught." Cathy continued to stand her ground, refusing to move. It wasn't until she heard someone call her name that she deflated in her resolve. She turned to see an old man waving frantically in her line of view and she sighed in defeat. Dakota was recovering from a strike to the side when she was knocked over by a blur of pink and blonde. Once she felt tears staining the front of her toga, she looked at the sobbing blonde and wrapped her arms tightly around her. "This is not the goodbye; we will meet again." Pulling away, she placed her hand on the Rhapsodian's trembling shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Until then, farewell Cathy." A tearful nod was the silent consent and she watched her run to who she guessed was her grandfather. It wasn't until she was in the spaceship and long out of sight, did she allow the tears to slip from her eyes. _

_End flashback_

It was after her reminiscing that she didn't remember hearing about her friend, Sam. She was about to make her observation known until she noticed the brunet lying alongside her had his eyes were fixed to the ceiling.

"Don't you talk to Sam anymore?"

She regretted the words as soon as she saw Danny lower his eyes to look at his fingers absently playing with the string on his hoodie. "Of course I still talk to Sam; in fact we're good friends. It's just that…" His voice trailed off as he drew in a shaky breath. Her eyes narrowed slightly as Danny tried to regain his composure. However, she was taken aback when he turned to face her and his hands gripped her upper arms forcefully. "I think I'm in love with her." He turned his gaze from her at the confession and he slowly unfurled his fingers from around her arms. "Friends aren't supposed to feel anything besides platonic emotions." The Native American's shock gave way to a warm smile as she pulled him into a warm embrace.

It was at this point that his body started to shake with silent tears. Rubbing small circles on his back, she shushed him as she offered him words of comfort. "Danny, you shouldn't be ashamed of that. Sometimes, it is better that you fall in love with someone you've known for a long time than someone you just met. Believe me, I learned that the hard way." She could feel him smile against her shoulder and she took that as a sign to continue. "Besides, at least I approve of this little confession. If it were anyone else, I'd be quite upset. Now, what do you love about her?"

Danny pulled away slightly so that he could look at her. She shrugged halfheartedly as she saw a faint pink dusting his cheeks. "If you ever tell her, she's gonna ask and then what will you tell her?"

The question sounded harmless enough, so he drew a deep breath to calm himself. "Well, I love her confidence and her leadership skills; she always keeps us in line. I love how she's not one to beat around the bush and is not afraid to tell you something straight, while at the same time, she makes sure that it doesn't tear you down." His blush got deeper and she smiled softly at him as he continued. "There's just so much to love about her, I don't where to start." His tears were now long forgotten as he smiled up at her, his electric green eyes sparkling with admiration.

Happy that he had calmed down, she released him as she sat up to bring her knees up to her chest. Looking down at her cousin and chuckling softly at his goofy smile, she realized that he had always loved Sam. Her smile wavered slightly as she wondered how she wasn't able to figure it out sooner. _Maybe I was just so happy to be away from my parents and enjoy myself that it never even occurred to me to take notice of Danny's antics._ At the thought of her parents, she felt her eyes glaze over with unshed tears and she quickly squeezed them shut, silently willing them to go away. She was so concentrated on getting rid of her tears; she scarcely noticed Danny had gotten up to wrap his arms around her. Before she could stop herself, she turned blindly into Danny's arms and cried. He gently tucked her head under his chin before pulling her into his lap. She continued to cry and he continued to hold her in his arms.

It was around 10 o'clock in the evening when Danny's parents came to wish their son and niece a goodnight. Upon opening the door, they were surprised to see the two asleep in Dakota's bed.

Mr. Jackson turned to Mrs. Jackson, who was regarding the two with a look of motherly fondness. "Jenna, should we wake them up?" Blinking, she frowned slightly up at her husband. She shook her head at him as she closed the door with a soft click. Her electric green eyes flashed dangerously as she saw him ready to retort. The look was enough and she smiled as he shut his mouth stubbornly. "Come now Daniel; it's time for bed." His blue eyes flickered to the floor as he ran a hand through his dark brown locks. He sighed as he went to follow his wife. She flicked her fiery red locks over her shoulder as she smiled smugly at her husband.


	4. A Tearful Reunion

"I missed you so much." She whispered after a beat of silence. Dakota returned the embrace, allowing a few stray tears to cascade down her cheeks. They stayed that way for a while until Dakota looked over Cathy's shoulder and caught sight of the time. They simultaneously pulled away and smiled at each other before she motioned for the blonde to look at the time. Realization dawned upon her and she moved to sit on the edge of the bed while Dakota got changed. She then summoned the sunshine to surround her in a blinding ball of light, to which Cathy shielded her eyes until she felt it was safe to look. She felt a gentle pressure lower her arm and she looked up to see Dakota's eyes were back to its sparkling green and her dark brown hair had been braided into a fishtail braid that wafted down to brush just above her waist. A bang streaked a shimmering light blue fell slightly into her right eye and she instinctively brushed it back.

She was outfitted in a sky blue t-shirt and dark blue plaid skirt that reached just above her knees. A white-and-blue checkered sash was slung across her left shoulder to wrap around her waist and attach to a silver buckle. Her shoes were a dark blue denim fabric; she wore a black-and-blue checkered arm warmer on her right arm and a pair of dark blue fingerless gloves on her left hand. Seeing Dakota in so much blue reminded Cathy of Chris and she smiled inwardly. Cathy was wearing a pink tee under a yellow sleeveless sweatshirt with black capris and pink sneakers. Her golden locks were pulled into a half ponytail with a simple side bang. Raising her brow incredulously at the brunette, she smirked at the blush that instantly covered her face. Cathy remembered that Synosyntheans had the ability to read minds through telepathic connections, so she was happy that she didn't have to explain the reason for her teasing glance. A moment of silence passed before the brunette took hold of Cathy's arm and marched out the door in the direction of downstairs.

They found Danny seated on the sofa dribbling a ball behind his legs. He had changed out of his clothes to wear a red muscle tee under a dark blue sleeveless hoodie, black Adidas shorts and dark red Nike Converse.

He looked up from his dribbling to look at the girls and hopped up from the sofa. "Ready to go?" he inquired, hoping that it came off as casual. The girls shared a look before playfully nudging the jock in the direction of the front door. Danny had told Dakota that they were going to spend the day with Cathy, Chris and Sam.

Upon noticing the obscene amount of blue, he couldn't resist the urge to roll his eyes. _I guess she still likes him._ For the second time that day, Dakota felt her face heat up. After leaving Danny's house, they headed to Cathy's house. The girls spoke animatedly amongst themselves; every once in a while, a laugh or two would betray their intent on being quiet. Danny was quite pleased that they were talking so well, as she had told him that they had met years ago. Still, he couldn't help but feel jealous at their closeness; Dakota's parents and duties had kept her from visiting as much as she would have liked while they were growing up. The two were still talking when they entered the clubhouse.


	5. Lost Love & Match Made

Danny flopped down onto the couch, grateful that Chris had left an emergency charger for their iPods to which he eagerly helped himself to. The scene melted away as soon as he placed his Beats into the headphone jack, Skrillex immediately numbing his senses. Dakota stopped in mid laugh to check on her cousin and her heart sank considerably upon observing his withdrawn state. Cathy caught her worried look and she placed her hand on the brunette's shoulder. "Don't worry about him: he won't stay like that for long." She turned to look at the blonde with a confused look. Squeezing her shoulder assuredly, she smiled softly at her. "Trust me when I say that something will make him change his mind." The brunette continued to regard her with a deadpan expression, but decided that the blonde knew what she was talking about. After a beat of silent observation of the brunet across the room, the two were back into deep conversation.

It was during this time that a boy with blue hair wearing a blue checkered tee shirt, dark blue denim shorts and blue Nikes walked in. his eyes widened as he walked over to where Cathy and Dakota were talking. Clearing his throat, he was successful in getting the brunette's attention. Her eyes widened as she threw her arms around his neck. "Chris! I can't believe it." She pulled away so that she was staring intently into his clear blue eyes. A dark blush covered his face as he looked into her emerald green eyes.

In his mind, he was happy that he was getting hugged by a pretty, no _beautiful_, girl; but for the life of him, he couldn't remember who she was. _Her eyes look familiar, like I've seen them somewhere before._ A flicker of excitement flashed over her face, but a stoic expression covered up the emotional turmoil that was present in her emerald orbs.

She held him at arm's length and she allowed a small smile to creep across her mahogany lips. "I don't blame you for not being able to remember me; it's a while since we saw each other last."

The latter part of her sentence seemed to trigger a memory or something along those lines because a small smile splayed across his lips. "Dakota, is that you?" a nod of confirmation was all she was able to do before she was engulfed in a warm embrace; one which she returned happily. During this reunion, Cathy had noticed the way Chris had regarded the brunette from the time he stepped into the clubhouse. "I missed you, Koti." He whispered into her hair before he pulled away completely. The two were in their own world as Chris took her hand in his, entwining their fingers together. Cathy smiled inwardly as she had never seen Chris look so fondly at anything before. From the way he looked at her to the way that he held her, it was evident that he cared deeply about her. The blonde looked at Dakota and saw the same look reflected in her eyes.

Though Danny had his headphones on, he had seen what had taken place between the bluenette and the brunette. He smiled softly as he bobbed his head to the music, his gaze fixed to the ceiling. This was when a girl with long wavy dark brown hair walked in. She was dressed in a white t-shirt underneath a red-and-purple checkered short sleeve hoodie, a red mid-thigh plaid skirt and black Polos. She walked over to where Danny was laying and poked him in the side. His eyes wandered lazily in her direction and back to the ceiling as if nothing happened. _She kind of looks like Sam._ Blinking, he turned back to look at her and nearly jumped out of his skin at how close she was standing over him. _Oh my God, it is Sam! _His cheeks flushed to a dainty pink and he mentally berated himself for his bashful nature around her. It seemed to be enough for her to laugh lightly and the sound made him think of the tinkering of silver bells. She reached forward to remove the headphones from over his ears, her fingers gently brushing his temples. _ There's that fluttering feeling again._ He looked into her golden orbs as he slowly got up into a sitting position. She had slipped the headphones over her head and was swaying her hips to the beat of the song playing. His heart began to thrum faster as he fought the urge to bring her closer to him. He was so entranced that he never noticed that she had taken his iPod so that she could go talk with Chris.

Dakota was still looking at Chris when Sam walked over to stare at the couple. Her gaze shifted from their faces to their interlaced fingers. Clearing her throat, she successfully got their attention as they blinked lazily before meeting her gaze. A serene smile spread itself across her face. "Dakota, is that you?" upon the nod of confirmation, a smirk effectively erased the tranquility from the brunette's face. "That explains the euphoric state of calm on Chris' face." A blush effortlessly coated their faces at the casual statement. Shaking her head, Dakota smiled as she stood up with her hand still connected with Chris'. This caused the bluenette to stand as well and it was at this time that they took note of their predicament. Looking between each other, they shrugged and relinquished their hold so that he held her around the shoulder and she could hold him by the waist. Bending to kiss the top of her head, he relished in the scent of jasmine and apple-cinnamon that teased his nostrils before pulling away. She smiled up at him and pressed a kiss to his jaw line before she slipped out of his embrace and took Sam by the wrist, signaling to Cathy to follow them out of the clubhouse.


	6. Friendly Intervention, Part I

Once they were seated on Cathy's porch swing, Dakota began."So, since you know about me and Chris, what's the story with you and Danny?"

A look of indifference passed over Sam's face as she regarded the Native American and Rhapsodian that sat on either side of her. After a while of pensive silence, a small blush made an appearance on her face as she felt a fluttering in her chest. _There's that fluttering feeling again. It seems to come up any time I'm either around or thinking of Danny. But why does the mere sound of his name make my heart beat a mile a minute and my face feel like it is enflamed?_

"I don't know." She breathed as she leaned back to look up at the material beneath Cathy's house. "I mean, I like him; we've been friends for as long as I can remember. But lately… I don't know what or how I feel about him." she paused to breathe a weighted sigh before continuing. "For some reason, I think I might love him. But friends aren't supposed to feel anything besides platonic emotions."

Dakota rolled her eyes as she remembered a certain brunet saying something along the same line of thought. "How about this: whenever you're on a mission, what do you find more important?"

"Obviously, the safety of my teammates. I don't know what I'd do if anything ever happened on them. Though lately, I've been more concerned about Danny: he is quite the daredevil." The response was so automatic that Sam wasn't even thinking about what she was saying. After a lapse of silence, she caught on to what the brunette had said. A skeptical glance was given in her direction and was met with an "Interrogate me later" stare. Hoping that she was correct, she pressed on. "How did you-" her inquiry was effectively cut off by Cathy's hand over her mouth.

"See what you just admitted to?" a terse nod was given and the blonde plowed on. "You just said that your immediate concern goes to Danny because he's always pulling stunts." A condescending look was sent in her direction and if looks could kill, Cathy would've been dead twenty times over. Dakota flinched under the intensity of the gaze that had now been whirled on her.

Sam's golden eyes almost looked as if it had been set ablaze with the very coals of Hell and hatred. Somehow, she was able to mutter, "Explain yourself… _now._" The statement was spoken in such venom that it almost sounded animalistic.

Dakota quickly gave into the demand with hands raised as she inched away from the steaming African-American. "Alright, but turn off the glare; you could burn people at the stake with that kind of fire power." The glare quickly dissipated as she visibly relaxed enough that Cathy felt it was safe enough to remove her hand. "See, seven years ago today, I had joined the MBC club. I'm part of the Sub-division and you know a lot doesn't happen much in the suburbs. Since you're more or less interested in how I know how you're also part of the MBC as well is simple; I work closely with the Galactic Commander so anytime a new MBC becomes established, their quadrant is sent directly to me." Sam's eyes widened and she digested the information as the green-eyed teen continued. "So yeah, I've known for the past six years. However, they only send the names of the human members." Looking past the pensive brunette to mock glare at the blonde, she continued. "Therefore, I wasn't aware of the fact that the Rhapsodian in your group is my dear friend, Cathy."

Turning to the alien, Sam raised her brow inquisitively at her. "So, you two each other?" the blonde nodded meekly as she smiled. "How?" the brunette and blonde cast a knowing look before looking directly at the honey eyed leader situated between them.

A smirk slowly slipped across their faces as they quipped in unison, "Wouldn't you like to know?" the open jawed response only made them smirk wider as they continued. "Wow, minds really do think alike." They laughed as the brunette looked between in a state of shock.

"D-did you two just… okay whoa." The laughter died down as they settled into the silence that surrounded them. Dakota reached around Sam and nudged her blonde friend. Her inquisitive sea blue gaze met her forest green and was rewarded with a motion towards the spaced out teen. She was about to question the motive when a smile slipped over her face. On her nod, Dakota began.

"Do you think we should…"

"… say anything to her about…"

"… how we're doing this?" this seemed to pique the brunette's attention as she looked at them. Noticing they had a captive audience, Cathy quickly picked up.

"No, I don't think…"

"… we should because then…"

"… she'd ask more questions…"

"… and we can't handle any more questions…"

"… so it won't kill her to be…"

"… left in the dark. But…"

"… then again, we never…"

"… did ask her if…"

"… she'd like to know." Turning to look at the now slightly freaked teen, they smiled. "Sam, would like to hear the whole story?" Sam was quick to nod before she really put any real thought into what she was getting into.


	7. Friendly Intervention, Part II

"So, why don't you tell her?" Danny looked up from where he was comfortably lounging to get a really good look at the bluenette seated across from him. They had talking ever since the girls left to converse and he was starting to wonder if they'd ever step back in. Little did he know that this was a plot that was set up by Chris, Dakota and Cathy to get him and Sam to hook up. The tech guru only rolled his eyes as he realized that this was going to take a miracle to get the jock to admit that he was in love with their leader. The signs were all there, especially after the whole Mark and Wendy fiasco in their freshmen year of Singletown High.

_Flashback_

_Mark and Wendy were walking hand-in-hand as they made their way through the cafeteria. Spotting Danny and his friends laughing at a table situated right across from their usual table beside the window, mischievous grins lit up their faces. Seating themselves at opposite sides of the table, they began to plot how to make the foursome's lives a living hell. Settling on the usual taunts, Wendy began the barrage of insults. "Oh, hey losers; didn't see you there." Turning to Sam, she continued in a sickly sweet tone. "Why, Sam that is a lovely t-shirt. Too bad it needs breasts to fill it, not toilet paper." Sam looked down at the shirt and frowned slightly as she continued to eat. "And while I'm helping you with your obvious fashion disorientation, who told you that you had the figure to pull off Louie Viton original denim?"_

_Mark laughed heartily as he added. "Then again, it takes a loser to pull off fashion rejects." Wendy joined in the laughter as well. Cathy placed an arm around the teen as she murmured comforting words to her. Danny had sat quietly through the whole ordeal as he couldn't believe that they would stoop so low as to trade fashion-related barbs. "Aww, what's the matter? Need to keep up appearances so much that you can't reach into your shirt to pull out a Kleenex?"_

_His girlfriend was quick to quip, "Do you think it's cotton or two ply?"_

_The blond shrugged as he countered, "I think it'd be polite to ask the one who would know for sure." That comment was the straw that broke the camel's back as Danny felt a strong surge of untamed fury as he slammed his palms down onto the table. He didn't seem to notice the stinging pain in his clenched fists or his empty tray clattering to the floor and echoing throughout the now quiet cafeteria as he stood to look over at the two. The world seemed to stop spinning under the heated glare of the brunet. A bolt of electricity leapt from his eyes, setting them ablaze as he stalked over to them._

_By the time he had reached the terrible two, his anger had visibly dissipated to be replaced with an effortless calm. "I want to make this perfectly clear," he began, his voice unnervingly calm. "The next time you even so much as breathe around Sam," he leaned in closer as he continued. "I will make sure that you would be willing to pay anything to look even a quarter as gorgeous as she does." A smirk crept across his face as he continued. "So, I'd be smart to apologize." Turning on his heel, he called over his shoulder. "And while I'm helping you with your obvious dishonest overlook, who told you that you could pull off breast implants and teeth whitener?" he never noticed the appalled look on the merchants of Hell or surprised looks on everyone's faces as he calmly picked up his tray and walked over to the café doors to put it things away. If he had thought to turn around, he would've noticed the blush of a certain brunette and the knowing looks that adorned the blonde and bluenette's faces in turn._

_End flashback_

They were seated in a comfortable silence as Chris worked away at a game on his sapphire blue PSP-Go. "Even if I did tell her, she could never feel the same way about me." Chris looked up and almost laughed at the absurdity, but thoughtfully paused the game to give the brunet his full attention. "I mean, she's smart, sophisticated, cool under pressure and did I mention that she's drop dead gorgeous? She deserves better than a jock, better than me." He sighed as he threaded his hair through his hair as he brandished his iPod. "Besides, she has the makings of a natural born leader and I'd only get in the way of her future ambitions with my constant laidback attitude. But, I know I love her. I mean, what's not to love?" another weighted sigh was heard as he continued. "She needs someone concrete and serious about what lies ahead; someone who could make her feel special and be able to provide for her." The next part was so quiet Chris had thought to have imagined it. "I can't offer any of that, which is why she deserves someone more capable."

The bluenette was stunned to silence as he heard this. _He really put some thought into this… that is so unlike him to do. _"I guess you really love her to let her be happy with someone else." Lifting himself until he was sitting upright, Danny regarded his friend with a look that he rarely ever gave into: defeat. Chris looked away from the macho teen he had practically grown up with. The brunet openly expressed many things: happiness, triumph, sadness and even the occasional love-struck that came with a new crush. However, it was rare that he ever got truly upset or showed signs of defeat without recovering quickly. _I hope the girls are having better luck with Sam than I am with Danny._


	8. And So It Begins, Part I

"So let me see if I'm getting this right: you're a Solar-Sunwing that came here from Vera Vixen XIV-XVI, which is located in the 2nd phase of the time continuum to start up the MBC club in the suburbs. Because of your roots of being a Synosynthean, you're able to connect to people using telepathy and telekinesis helps you get from place to place at high speeds. At age eleven, you were sent on Galactic recon to scope out any threats to the MBC and ended up on Rhapsodia. This was where you met Cathy and her grandfather, easily becoming friends because of her bubbly personality. Two months afterwards, an invasion of Spognotz came in search of those in charge of the MBC made you inadvertently send her here to Earth. Your parents are both humans that carried the genes for the type of Synosynthean you are and you're related to Danny because your father is his father's fraternal twin brother. You know all the forms of martial arts, including jujitsu and have loved Chris since you met him." her two friends looked long and hard at her as she caught her breath.

Finally, twin smiles broke out on their faces as they nodded. "So are you gonna tell him how you feel?" a look passed over her face and a simultaneous brow was raised as they saw the color drain from the brunette's face. Looking back at each other, they stood up and each grabbed an arm. Pulling the fighter to her feet, they lifted her down the stairs and commenced to drag her back towards the clubhouse. Dakota sighed as she rolled her eyes at the denial that radiated off the fighter's body.

"Sam, you're gonna say something to him…"

"… because whether you agree or not, we…"

"… know you love him with everything you have." The twinsakes stopped their dragging just outside the door of the MBC hideout. Sam was still a bit put out after the forced escort back to where the trouble had all started. She knew that her attempts to escape now would be futile as she was being restrained by two powerfully skilled aliens. Leaning until they were about a whisper away they said, "Time to make your own destiny." Pushing open the door, they released their hold on the nervous teen as they strode nonchalantly into the MBC clubhouse.

Dakota eagerly took a seat beside Chris and kissed him with all the passion in her heart. Pulling away, they all giggled at the dazed stupor she had placed her boyfriend in. _I could get used to this._

Once he had come down from his euphoric high, he wrapped his arm around her and whispered, "I missed you too." Danny looked over at Sam and inwardly smiled, while Sam was narrowing her eyes at the happy couple. _She's so cute when she's mad._ He looked down at his iPod and began tapping away at the screen. An amiable silence fell over the five as the only sound was the soft humming of the computer in the corner.

Taking a cursory glance around the room, Dakota got up and stretched before she spoke up. "Chris, Cathy, I'll need some taste testers for what I plan to enter for the Annual Bake-A-Thon. Wanna help me out?" the aforementioned nodded before the trio walked through the door without another word, leaving Danny and Sam alone in the clubhouse. A tense silence filled the space between them before Sam chose to sit down and look around. Danny was still tapping away, as he had not paid attention to what his cousin had said.

It wasn't until he had done whatever he was doing, it dawned upon him that he was alone with his crush sitting across the room. "Hey, Sam." His baritone voice seemed to startle her as she visibly jumped at the sudden sound. Turning to look at him with a raised brow, he smiled sheepishly. "Do you know where the others went?"

The statement brought a genuine smile to her face. _Leave it to Danny to be clueless._ "They went to help Dakota with a baking project."

He regarded her with a blank stare before nodding. She had mentioned that she would be using the kitchen and needed some help with catering for a big event.

The two lapsed back into silence before Sam spoke up. "So, whatcha doing?"

He tapped the screen before turning to answer her. "Playing Tap Tap Revolution." He sat up and sheepishly added, "Wanna play with me?" Sam was taken aback by the kind gesture and quickly walked over to him. Sitting in front of him, he tapped the screen a couple times before holding out the other side of the device to her. The room was soon filled with occasional grunts of concentration, coupled with furious tapping. They were so focused that they didn't even notice that their foreheads were pressed together and occasionally their knuckles would brush because of the close proximity. To them, it was nothing more than harmless fun and competition. However, to the three teens situated outside, it was their way of dealing with their pent-up emotion for one another. Five minutes later, a hoot of triumph and a groan of frustration was heard from the two post-strenuous teens. The hoot of surprise came from the girl while the groan was from the boy who wouldn't stand to see that he had just been beat; and by a girl no less.


End file.
